NCW chief arrives in Bengal for probe into Murshidabad violence, says aim is to "boost confidence among scared women"

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], April 18 (ANI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar arrived in Kolkata on Thursday evening to lead an inquiry into the recent violence in Murshidabad following protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
Rahatkar, who is part of the probe committee constituted by the NCW, will visit affected areas, including Malda and Murshidabad, over the next three days. She said her visit aims to boost the morale of women who have been left traumatised by the communal unrest.
"The women here are very scared after the communal violence that broke out here...NCW has taken cognisance of this and we have constituted a probe committee...I am also a part of the probe committee. Over the next three days, we will visit these violence-hit areas. We will go to Malda and Murshidabad. We will meet the affected women there and interact with them," she said while speaking to reporters.

Rahatkar added, "We need to go to those areas. Only after that will I be able to say something further. We have come here to give confidence to those scared women."

The NCW team plans to interact directly with the victims, document their experiences, and recommend necessary protection and rehabilitation measures to the authorities.
Meanwhile, a team from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is set to visit a refugee camp in Malda on Friday.
In a post on X on Thursday, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said, "A team of NHRC officials will visit the refugee camp in Malda, West Bengal tomorrow."
The visit comes in the wake of violence that erupted on April 11 during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which resulted in the deaths of three people, injuries to several others, and widespread property damage. Several families have been displaced, with many migrating to Jharkhand's Pakur district, while others have taken refuge in relief camps set up in Malda.
On Thursday, the Calcutta High Court stated that central forces will remain in Murshidabad for some time to maintain law and order and said that the court will monitor the restoration and rehabilitation of victims.
The court also ordered officials from the BJP, TMC, and others not to make provocative speeches that could escalate tensions. (ANI)